Stockers and Order Fillers
Median $21.45 an hour in Washington · 57,370 jobs
Washington · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Washington
At $21 an hour in Washington you keep about $17.63 of every hour — $705 a week, $3,056 a month or $36,671 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state payroll programs. Washington has no income tax on wages plus Paid Family & Medical Leave and WA Cares Fund, and its minimum wage is $17.13 an hour.
Where $21 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $43,680 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,062 | −$59 | −$1.47 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,708 | −$52 | −$1.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$633 | −$12 | −$0.30 |
| Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | −$353 | −$7 | −$0.17 |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | −$253 | −$5 | −$0.12 |
| Take-home pay | $36,671 | $705 | $17.63 |
Effective tax rate 16% · federal bracket 12% · no state income tax on wages.
Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share): 0.81% of wages · WA Cares Fund (long-term care): 0.58% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $840.00 | $705.21 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,410.42 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,527.96 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $3,055.91 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Washington for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $21 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $420 | $371 | $19,292 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $539 | $28,048 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $705 | $36,671 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $830 | $43,138 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $954 | $49,605 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Washington?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 1.2 times Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour. Seattle and some other cities set higher local minimums.
- Among Washington workers: It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in Washington (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $30.28 an hour.
- Local prices: Washington's price level is 107% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $36,671 a year buys about what $34,268 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,092 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,528 a month for needs, $917 for wants and $611 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Washington that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Washington is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median $21.49 an hour in Washington · 26,500 jobs
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $20.28 an hour in Washington · 18,480 jobs
Recreation Workers
Median $21.58 an hour in Washington · 6,380 jobs
Food Batchmakers
Median $20.53 an hour in Washington · 5,700 jobs
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
Median $21.47 an hour in Washington · 4,780 jobs
How Washington compares on $21 an hour
Washington ranks 11th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $27,580. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $15,180 | $1,822 |
| Total | $27,580 | $3,062 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Washington?
About $17.63 for every hour you work, or $36,671 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 16% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $21 an hour a week after taxes in Washington?
About $705 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,410.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Washington?
About $3,056 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Washington?
$21 an hour is 1.2 times Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour. It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in Washington (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Washington is $30.28. After taxes and local prices, $36,671 a year buys about what $34,268 would at national-average prices.
Is Washington a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 11th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $21 an hour. The most you'd keep is $37,277 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $34,254 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Washington
- $17 an hour in Washington
- $18 an hour in Washington
- $19 an hour in Washington
- $20 an hour in Washington
- $22 an hour in Washington
- $23 an hour in Washington
- $24 an hour in Washington
- $25 an hour in Washington
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Washington · $45,000 a year in Washington · Washington paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Washington's employee payroll programs (methodology). Washington doesn't tax wages. Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.